Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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116. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will issue a circular to schools to allow the live broadcast of lessons to leaving certificate students outside the school building who will not be able to physically return to school with their peers due to the need to cocoon due to Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6227/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Schools have put significant measures in place to reduce the risk of coronavirus being transmitted to/within the school and significant funding has been provided to support schools in this respect.  The evidence to date from a public health perspective is that schools are safe.  The approach to Covid-19 in schools is led by the advice and guidance of the HSE Public Health.

The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has issued specific advice about children attending school in the context of covid-19.  This advice covers both children with underlying medical conditions and children living with family members with underlying conditions.  For all children, care should continue to be taken to reduce transmission through the measures promoted by HPSC.

The HPSC advice advises that children with immediate family members, including parents, in both the ‘high risk’ and ‘very high risk’ categories can return to school and it is important for the child’s overall well-being. This is consistent with public health advice internationally in relation to at-risk family members. The priority is that the household continues to follow all current advice on how to minimise the risk of coronavirus, through regular hand washing, etc.

Live streaming of classes does not arise where categories of students are expected to be in school. The guidance is available at the following link.

www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/educationguidance/HSE%20advice%20on%20return%20to%20school.pdf.

My Department has also published guidance to support schools in making adapted education provision for students with an underlying medical condition who cannot return to school because they are medically certified as being at very high risk to COVID-19.  The guidance for post-primary schools on supporting such students is available via the following link

The Department of Education is engaging closely with the education partners to work towards achieving consensus on a satisfactory way forward to ensure a safe phased return of children to in-school learning.  This remains a high priority for all partners at this time.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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117. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason she has failed to engage with an association (details supplied) to have discussions on education and exams during the Covid-19 lockdown; if she will rectify the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6238/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The planning work underway in respect of the Leaving Certificate Examinations in 2021 is being assisted by an Advisory Group of key stakeholders which has met on a number of occasions in recent months. The Advisory Group has been convened to advise Government on all of the various issues arising in relation to the holding of the 2021 examinations, including public health considerations and appropriate contingency measures. The Advisory Group, which was initially constituted in April 2020, includes representatives of students, parents, teachers, school leadership and management bodies, the State Examinations Commission, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Higher Education Authority and the Department of Education, including the National Educational Psychological Service.

Parents are represented at the group by both the National Parents Council – Primary (NPC) and the National Parents Council – Post-Primary (NPCPP). The Education Act puts the recognition of these bodies on a statutory footing as the official parent representative bodies at national level. Both parent organisations represent all parents and guardians in schools throughout the country. Both Parents Councils have actively engaged in the work of the advisory group since it was constituted and have ensured that the advice provided by the group to my Department was informed by the voice of parents.

Both the Catholic Secondary Schools Parents Associations (CSSPA) and the Education and Training Boards Schools National Parents’ Association (ETBsNPA) were constituent bodies of the National Parents’ Council Post-primary. Other constituent bodies of the NPCPP also includes the National Association of Compass – Co-operation of Minority Religion and Protestant Parent Associations (Post Primary) and Parents Association of Community & Comprehensive Schools (PACCS).

My Department has been informed that the boards of the National Parents Council Post Primary and of the National Parents Council Primary have agreed to work together  to progress plans to form a new National Parents Council representing all parents in order to strengthen the voice of parents from early years right through to the end of second level education.